'Sandbox': a fitting farewell from Widespread Panic guitarist

CD review

Posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Just days before he succumbed to pancreatic cancer in August 2002, Michael Houser (guitarist, songwriter, and a founding member of the immensely popular Georgia-based rock outfit Widespread Panic) turned over his final collection of songs to longtime friend and well known producer John Keane. Keane, who has worked with Widespread Panic, R.E.M., Indigo Girls, Vic Chesnutt and Cowboy Junkies, took on the task of fleshing out Houser's final tunes for a posthumous release early this year.

The twelve tracks comprising "Sandbox" are a mix of mellow and atmospheric Southern rock, alongside several countrified numbers, complete with pedal steel and mandolin. A few of the tunes are older, but most were never performed and none has ever been released. Houser's unaffected and gentle baritone centers the overall sound, which, not surprisingly, strongly evokes early-period Widespread Panic, especially on the tunes which feature Panic singer John Bell's tasteful harmonies.

Houser's wryly plaintive, almost folksy delivery pairs well with lyrical themes that are generally lighthearted and seemingly grounded in an awareness of life's simple pleasures: hanging out with your best girl, having a round with friends, and road trips - including "Low Country," a tune about the drive from Athens to Savannah. A few tunes explore some understandably darker content, and one, the achingly poignant "Goodbye My Love," is downright sad in this posthumous context.

But while Houser's untimely passing inevitably lends a certain pall to the experience, "Sandbox" is no morbid requiem. Houser was widely recognized among fans for his utter lack of pretense and dry sense of humor, and fittingly, the album reflects his down-to-earth vibe and good-natured spirit. "Sandbox" is surely a must-have for Widespread fans, but will be enjoyed by anyone with a taste for simple, straightforward Southern strumming.